It's been almost ten years since we last had an entry in Intelligent Systems' superb Advance Wars series, but don't let that depress you - we now have the next best thing in the form of Tiny Metal, the debut game from Japanese studio Area35. This is unashamedly a clone of the aforementioned Nintendo franchise and the nuts and bolts of its tactical, turn-based gameplay is lifted almost wholesale from the Advance Wars playbook. Despite its derivative nature, Tiny Metal hits all the right notes and throws in a few surprises of its own to liven up the blueprint.

In Tiny Metal, you control an army made up of different unit types, each with their own inherent strengths and weaknesses. Foot soldiers are weak, but they're the only ones who can capture enemy cities (which in turn generate revenue for you to spend on new units), while Metals (tanks in the game's parlance) boast incredible destructive power but have limited movement range. Helicopter gunships can fly over obstacles and pack powerful weapons, but can be dealt with effectively by mobile missile launchers, which - as you might imagine - are weak when under direct fire from other ground-based opponents. For every unit, there's another against which it is painfully weak, creating a wonderfully balanced system where there's always a solution for the issue at hand, no matter how dire things may be on the battlefield.

The game's campaign mode places you in the boots of Nathan Gries, a lieutenant in the Artemisian army. When a plane carrying the Artemisian monarch is shot down, the blame is quickly directed at the island nation of Zipang, triggering armed conflict. Like all good narratives, the plot to Tiny Metal rarely sticks to the predicted path and very early on Gries' loyalties to his nation are tested by a series of unexpected twists and turns. It's a surprisingly engaging storyline which is brought to life by excellent writing, emotive Japanese voice acting and good character artwork.

Your mission objective is usually to destroy the enemy army or capture their HQ, and successful control of the battlefield is almost always a case of intelligent resource management. You can't build units without owning the structures which create them, so your first task is often to locate a factory and capture it with your foot soldiers. You earn cash based on the number of buildings your own, making those a prime target also. All the while you're expanding your sphere of influence on the map, you have to deal with incoming threats from a rival general who has the same militaristic ambitions as you.

In addition to the keeping in mind the strengths and weaknesses of each of your units, you also need to take into account variables such as terrain, relative unit health and - most important of all - opportunities for combining your military power. Units in dense woodland or cities benefit from a defensive bonus, while positioning your forces on higher ground makes their attacks more effective. Very early on, the game's protagonist states emphatically that striking first is of the utmost importance; attacks which you initiate allow you to open the exchange of fire and deal the first blow, meaning that the enemy unit's response will consequently be less powerful. In some cases, you can wipe out a weaker unit without giving them chance to retaliate.

"Focus Fire" - one of the few features created for Tiny Metal rather than borrowed from Advance Wars - is by far the most effective means of dominating the battlefield, but it requires some forward-planning to master. Using this system, you can combine the attacking power of your units and take down stronger enemies in one fell swoop. Instead of selecting "attack" you pick "lock on" and select the enemy unit. From that point, you can add more weight to the eventual attack by locking on with other units, before picking the final unit and issuing them the "Focus Fire" command. The ensuing barrage should be enough to take the enemy down, but you need to plan accordingly; any units which are locked-on will not attack until the Focus Fire command is executed, and if you don't have any units which can be given that command at the end of your turn, it passes without any of your locked-on troops firing a single shot. Such wastefulness can be the difference between triumph and retreat.

Other wrinkles to the system include the "Assault" option, which is handy for pushing enemy units out of structures they're either trying to capture or preventing you from capturing. Assault carries risk, as it allows the enemy to fire first – however, should your unit survive the blow, they will push the enemy one square back on the map and assume their position. Your units grow in proficiency as the battle rolls on, with each move, attack and capture attempt boosting their experience and making them more effective - which gives you a reason to keep them alive for as long as possible. Certain structures are capable of healing damaged units, and you can call in "Hero Units" at certain times by using communication buildings dotted around the map. These are variants of the standard units and have special abilities which make them prized members of your burgeoning army.

Visually, the game uses a 3D engine despite presenting the action in a rigid, grid-based format, just like the original Advance Wars series. The default perspective is almost isometric, but you can use the shoulder buttons to toggle to a more traditional viewpoint, as well as zooming right in for a good look at those stylish 3D models. Attacks switch to a short cutscene which shows each unit opening fire, and these can be turned off entirely if you find them time-consuming. We'd also recommend you switch off the unit voices, which quickly become annoying; there's only so many times one can hear the same phrase uttered in a dodgy Scottish accent before you want to really hurt someone. Alternatively, you can switch the unit voices to Japanese to match the voice work heard during the narrative sequences, if you so wish.

The main campaign is generous in size and will offer even a skilled player around 15 to 20 hours of gameplay, and there's also a Skirmish option which offers a series of challenges - each rated by difficulty - to tackle when you're done with the main story. The most exciting element is the Multiplayer mode, which sadly isn't available at the time of writing. It promises to bring both local and online 1v1 multiplayer, which - barring some major disaster - will drastically enhance the game's playability. The Switch's portable nature should make this an ideal tactical time-waster when you're out and about, assuming you can find a willing opponent. Speaking of portability, it's worth noting that the game allows you to save your progress at any point in an active mission and exit out to the main menu - a prime consideration when you're playing in short bursts. Pleasingly, it only takes a few seconds to both save and load your progress. The only fly in the ointment from a technical perspective is that performance can become sluggish in handheld mode when there are a lot of units on-screen at once; animations become choppy and inputs become ever-so-slightly delayed, but it's not a common occurrence and doesn't impact your overall enjoyment (we also imagine it will be dealt with in a future update).

Conclusion

Tiny Metal has the core mechanics nailed down brilliantly, even if it has cribbed much of its structure from the famous Advance Wars franchise. Upon this handsome foundation Area35 has crafted a tactical wargame which is every bit as compelling, addictive and challenging as its inspiration, while adding in a storyline of surprising drama and complexity. The robust single-player campaign - twinned with some great one-off maps in the Skirmish mode - is worth the price of admission alone, but when the multiplayer mode arrives (presumably at some point next year) the game will become even more essential. Isaac Newton once attributed his remarkable discoveries in the realms of mathematics, astrology and theology to the fact that he was "standing on the shoulders of giants"; his outstanding work was only possible because of the geniuses that came before him. The same could be said of Tiny Metal; it may be light on original ideas, but it's a towering achievement regardless.

Damien has over a decade of professional writing experience under his belt, as well as a repulsively hairy belly. Rumours that he turned down a role in The Hobbit to work on Nintendo Life are, to the best of our knowledge, completely and utterly unfounded.

This game always looked extremely promising to me, so i'm glad it seems like it will live up to my high expectations.

However, my purchase will have to wait for next year. Right now i'm still too busy with Xenoblade 2, so i don't want to buy another time consuming game right now. I'll just get Pulstar and RXN -Raijin-... there's always enough time for a shmup when i nedd a little break from Xenoblade.

@Melkac More of a masterpiece than Amiibo Festival anyway. That fact is as pointless as your comment was.

I've never even owned a Sony console,my point was Sony made a point of going after this indie to help fund it and take on publishing duties. They were not going to do that if they didn't think it was going to turn out well. Especially as it's the very first game of this new label. The same can be said about the EA indie label. They're going after promising looking indie games and helping to make them even better than they otherwise would have been.

Its price tag still has me a little hesitant but good to hear it turned out well. If the praise turns out to be relatively universal then I might have to pick it up and add it to my ever growing list of games I need to somehow find time to play.

@OorWullie His point, which you seem to have missed, is that your confidence may have been ill-placed. He was a bit of an ass in the way he worded it, but that doesn't mean his point was wrong. Responding with a strawman argument doesn't change that.

I downloaded a 'free' copy on my Mac to test this game out before buying. It's a disappointment, it's not worthy of 9/10. This is not a polished game and the animation is low quality, voice acting is silly, story is boring... The 3D graphics bring nothing new to the Advance War game, only to slow it down. The whole package just feels like amateur developers trying their best but still failed.

Hm... I do love advance wars, and this certainly looks like a good game. Though, especially given it doesn't have multiplayer currently, I don't know if it is deserving of a 9/10. Is the single player really that good? Multiplayer seems like such a basic requirement for a game like this, imo.

@Nincompoop Hopefully War Groove will be decent, thank you for adding your viewpoint! Lacking multiplayer on top of a delay seals its fate for now. I'm not desperate enough for Advanced Wars to get this just yet.

@MelkacGot to ask yourself, who gives a toss about awards, they don't make a game better or worse. Sony & Nintendo have made loads of games that didn't win awards, doesn't make them less fun, pointless comment really.

@Ralizah Why would you resist? Money? I'm only going to wait because it would be like an early CHRISTmas for my son and we told him no new games till after CHRISTmas lol. He will love it but the game is for me!

Not to question the integrity of the review, but at NL a game is either terrible or fantastic, for the most part. There is very little middle ground. Not to say the review isn't just. If it's a 9, it is a 9.

If Zelda and Mario are a 10, then comparatively this being a 9, I should expect a similar level of quality, for what it is- no?

Anyways, not my type of game. Kind of just get irked by the notion that a game is either brilliant or terrible.

@Spoony_Tech I'm intent on not developing a backlog for the Switch. I can afford this, but if I play it and get addicted, then XC2 will fall by the wayside. That basic pattern of behavior is why I have dozens of unfinished games on various other systems.

I technically already kind of have a backlog due to the fact that I've come nowhere close to finishing Stardew Valley, but I've rationalized that by telling myself that it's a game I'll dip in and out over a period of years.

Anyway, be sure to report your feelings on the game on the forums! If it's good enough, I might make this my next game after I finished Xenoblade 2. I've been wanting another AW-style game for years now, so it seems nuts that in the space of a few months we'll be getting two of them!

Wargroove seems like it might be the longer lasting title, but I really like the fact that Tiny Metal stuck with the modern military theme.

@Ralizah I know what you mean by waiting till you finish said game. I bought Doom, Skyrim, and L.A. Noire in the span of a week and dabbled in all 3 of them while not really making any progress. My brother asked to borrow one of them so I let him borrow Doom and Skyrim over the Thanksgiving weekend. If not for that I'm not sure I would've finished L.A. and I'm glad I did. To me it was the better of the 3 or more the most fun of the 3. Not that I didnt like the other 2 but really enjoyed the story for L.A.

I will finally also get a chance to play Mario Odyssey in a couple days. That is if I can get the system away from the kids for the next 2 weeks. Now is the time I wish I had a second Switch lol. I did pick up a second dock so I can kick the kids downstairs when the wife and I want the main t.v.

@Spoony_Tech I played LA Noire last gen and didn't care for the game constantly testing to see whether I could tell if someone was lying or not. I might pick it up again if it goes on sale.

DOOM is absolutely fantastic if you like the shooting part of shooters. It's super intense, especially as you get further into the game. Also fairly lengthy for a FPS, all things considered.

Skyrim... heh. I have my issues with that game, but a lack of content isn't one of them. You could sink hundreds of hours into it and still not want for things to do. How far did you get?

You're going to absolutely love Mario Odyssey. It's pure fun. If you're into gaming as a family, you'll get a lot out of it as well. co-op is basic but enjoyable, and the game is a blast whether you're playing or just watching it.

I... don't have it in me to spend $70 or so for an extra dock. I've just been moving the dock from room to room on the few occasions I've needed to do so. I think I'd actually rather buy a second Switch.

This game could’ve been the greatest game in the world but I still wouldn’t have purchased it. The fact that the developers of this game scammed the people who backed Project Phoenix on Kickstarter to finance Tiny Metal is disgusting and immoral. Do not support these developers.

As for Skyrim, I know what I'm getting into with that as I've played and almost beat Morrow Wind and play a bit of Oblivion. I just didn't want to get into one game too far and neglect the others knowing Skyrim is the time sink.

@Ralizah I've used it all of twice but one time I got to number 4 on the Zen Pinball FX3 leader boards lol. It fits a little snug but that might be due to my glass screen protector but other then that works great and rates extremely well from users on the BB site. I was never going to pay the $90 they want for the Nintendo one and this one works great and is small for the perfect travel. Not to mention some of those 3rd party ones don't even come with all the cables.

@Saints Just in case you're looking for another point of view. I certainly feel like this game is worth the 25 dollar price and it is unfortunate that the multiplayer isn't available at launch. But the game is very good from what I've played and the 3d style does have its charm. I honestly don't agree with most of what nincompoop stated. I don't have a problem with the animation or the voice acting. I also don't have a problem with the 9 score though I also wouldn't have a problem with an 8. The game is polished from what I've played.

@KeeperBvK no there isn't as far as I can tell. I've only played about 2 hours. But it does bring its own tactics like the reviewer stated. Also unlike advance wars individual units stats actually improve when capturing or destroying enemy units which is a welcomed addition.

@PlayStationswitc Thanks for another perspective, really glad to know! If it were $15 or $20 that definitely would be a purchase. I know its not bank breaking being $5 more... and it could happen on impulse... but I'm going to try to wait until the Multiplayer review comes out.

@Nincompoop I have bought this on Switch, and I can only agree. The fact that it runs on Unreal Engine is the sole difference between this and any other similar game for smartphones. I regret buying at full price and I'm really puzzled at the review score, which is higher than Resident Evil?!

Just bought this and am cautiously optimistic about the game. I liked AV but man $25 (for me) is a pretty big eshop purchase. I was planning on buying Brawlout but I decided to go for this instead. Hope I don't end up having buyers remorse.

I have played the game for around 2 hours now. It is very Advance Warsy, which is a good thing. I also think it looks both fine when docked or in portable mode. Until now, it has been fairly easy but I think the difficulty will increase during the course of the game.

If u enjoyed Advance Wars, you should definitely spend 25 bucks on this one. I think it is definitely worth it and I do not regret spending tge money at all, even though I am also 60 hours in playing Xenoblade Chronicles 2 🙈🙈🙈

@macaron75 yeah not nearly as refined as those hip smartphone games kids play nowadays maybe if it had some freemium element and some pay to progress to make it just as great! oh and add a sprinkle of pay to win as well LOL

@shinpakuThat's the problem with most ppl that ain't clued up about mobile games. Never get the games on playstore, use your Google browser instead and get modded versions of the same games for free or every lootbox etc is also free. Don't ever have to pay for anything. I use my jxd device for this type of gaming, so i don't even use touch screen, it's all mapped to built in physical buttons

@shinpaku
It ain't stealing when the games are already free. A patch for free lootbox is a different matter. You must be a grown up paying for those, Anyways it is what it is, this type of practice will carryon regardless if ppl like it or not. Just for the record i also don't pay for any retro games thx to emulators, i have a collection the switch could never provide me all free and glad for it. I have noticed many on Nintendo life are doing the same, we must be all kids and scum but we have a healthy bank balance. Almost forgot i don't pay anything to play advance wars, i must be a gangsta, best watch what you say i might shoot ya. Seriously though each to their own

Great little game the only really problem I have is in the colours I find it really hard to tell the difference from my team and the enemy team one being yellow and one being green I wish they could do a up date to change the colours to make it clearer

For anyone reading this in the future and wondering if you wanna buy it - proceed with caution and watch a couple gameplay videos on youtube. Was extremely disappointed with this especially given it's $25 price-point and the "9" rating Nintendo Life gave this. I'm guessing they were a bit easy on the game given the interview they got for it. Despite the really, really lovely handdrawn parts of it, it's a borderline ugly game with some performance issues that don't hurt the gameplay, but contribute to the ugly. The gameplay itself is about what you'd expect...but less than you'd expect to get for $25 in 2017. Yes it plays like an Advance Wars, but in a really joyless and basic way. This feels like an $8-10 game you might want to buy for a short road trip.

Apparently, this game began life as a Kickstarter for a completely different game called Project Phoenix - an RPG game. After the Kickstarter raised over $1 million, the creator took the money that was supposed to be used for that game and instead used it to create Tiny Metal. And now he's telling the original Project Phoenix backers that he can't make the game unless Tiny Metal sells 150,000 copies - and he only thinks the game is going to sell 100,000 copies.

I just finished the mission mode. I found the last mission to be very difficult, but also very satisfying when I finally beat it. Overall, I really enjoyed the game a lot and strongly agree with the 9 out of 10.